Canadian snaps up newly unearthed Beatles tape

TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian businessman had the winning
bid for a newly discovered mid-1960s recording of the Beatles
singing at least one previously unreleased tune and joking
around during the session.

Gino Olivieri of Montreal snapped up the 1/2-hour-long
reel-to-reel tape in Cameo Auctioneers' Internet sale this week
for 9,800 pounds ($19,000) plus tax and other costs.

The tape, recorded in 1964, was found recently in northern
England by a man who was cleaning out his father's attic.

Among the tunes is a recording of "Don't Put Me Down Like
This," which was not released on any Beatles records.

It also features a number of John Lennon and Paul McCartney
songs of the era as well as the lads in a rambunctious mood,
Olivieri said.

"Essentially, they were hamming it up. That's really what
it was," he said. "They did some songs, which were supposed to
be part of an interview that was to go on BBC."

His tape represents the first part of the session and the
BBC has the second part, he said.

The British network has authenticated the recording, said
Olivieri, who is founder of Premier Muzik International Corp.,
a firm that recovers royalties for recording artists.
Continued...